The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-11-05
LIONS IN BATTLE.
rrishtful Scenes in a Liverpool Mcn-
ageric.


rrightful Scenes in a Liverpool Men-
ageric.
ILondon Cable to New York SUM-
Early this morning there was fear
full and exciting battle in the Jubilee
Exhibition Mt Liverpool. Delmonico,
the most plucky tanner of beasts, had
been exciting the nerves of the visitors
for a long time by trifling In cage
with three big forest lions, Five more
lions, OF different kind, but very big
also, arrived from Africa yesterday,
and were put ut once into the big cage
with the three already at home there.
They had no training, but Delmonico
went In among them and thrilled the
crowd that filed the menagerie by an
unusually sensational performance.
When he had done, Mile Kora, his
partner, went in with the lions aud
took little dog. This was repeated
four times during the day, and the five
new lions were too much stunned by
the huge, noisy crowd about them and
the repeated visits of the lady, gentle-
man and dog, to think Of any thing
else. Their astonishment had not worn
of and they were still quiet when left
alone for the night by the attendants
at 10 O'Clock.
Shortly after midnight. however, the
menagerie was filled with u frightful
roaring and snarling, aud a servant
sleeping on the premises rushed in to
find the big iron cage rocking, and the
eight lions fighting :uriousiy, rolled up
In q huge dark ball from which the
blood-stained fur was flying In all d.
rsctions. The huge beasts rolled over
and over, dashing madly against the
sides Of the cage, and biting pieces out
of each other with q ferocity that was
sickening. All the sights organized to
crafty mans fondness for fighting
would have seemed the tamest child's
play In comparison.
After while 1t became evident that
there were two distinct sides In the
battle, and the new arrivals were pitted
at Unfair odds against the lions which
had been In possession. The efforts of
the servant to separate them only In
creased their fury, and at last he rushed
OF for Delmonico, who was asleep near
by In Eagle lane. The tanner arrived
half clad, and found his lions bleeding
AOossOAsyS 0As
The battle was narrowing down TO a
duel between two of the biggest lions,
which were rapidly biting each other
to pieces in the middle of the cage.
Occasionally the battle became general
aud for few seconds there would be a
wild tumble OF snarling lions with a
savage crunching of teeth to tell how
the flesh was being torn. Tho appear
ance OF Delmonico with red-hot iron
produced an effect, and all but the two
chief combatants stopped fighting and
crouched sullenly down, licking their
bloody wounds aud snarliug encour-
agement to the two leaders.
On these In their rage hot iron was
useless, even when applied to raw
flesh. The lions responded to the
burning sensation only by tearing
away al each other more fierceIy.
AT last DeImonico, fearing he would
lose his two greatest actors, took reso-
luton which would probably not have
occurred to any other man if the
existence of the entire animal creation
had been threatened. He entered the
cage half clad, as he was, and shut
himself In. He next opened door
communicating with asecond cage and
drove into 1t like 80 many sheep the
six lions that had been lookingon.
Meanwhile the other lions were still
fighting, although much weaker. Del.
lnonico's attempts to separate them
were useless. They paid not the slight.
est attention 10 him, and although
they dashed against him, they were
evidently unconscious of his presence.
Before the tanner could form any
plan to separate them the fight ended
OF itself. The big forest lion, which
had been defending his home against
the five strangers rolled over onhis back
growled family and died, as the other
seized him again by the throat. One
Of the front legs was gnawed off COM
pletely, hind leg was chewed to
pulp, all of the name and most of the
neck were bitten away, and the body
was covered with blood, as was the
entire cage. There was not on the
dead lion any unbitten whole piece of
skin large enough TO have made a
glove. He bad fought for his life just
as long as he had been able to work
his teeth and claws.
The victor seemed inclined at first to
dash at the tanner and at the lions in
the neighboriDg cage, but he changed
his mind under Delmonico's eye, and
after weak but triumphant roar over
the body Of his victim he retired into
a corner and moaned over his wounds.
Although conqueror, he was not to be
envied. His name was gone and his
body looked as though an especially
wicked harrow had baen repeatedly